TODAY: The Pirates have officially called Hayes up, and also promoted recent waiver claim Anthony Alford to the active roster. Southpaw Brandon Waddell and outfielder Jason Martin were optioned to the club’s alternate training site in corresponding moves.
AUGUST 31: The Pirates will promote top third base prospect Ke’Bryan Hayes before their game against the Cubs on Tuesday, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Hayes’ promotion was slowed thanks in part to a positive coronavirus test in July.
Now 23 years old, Hayes was a 2015 first-round pick (No. 32) who has established himself as a high-end major league prospect since the Pirates drafted him. In fact, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN (No. 26), FanGraphs (30), MLB.com (45), Keith Law of The Athletic (46) and Baseball America (59) recently placed Hayes among the game’s 60 best farmhands. McDaniel wrote that Hayes, the son of ex-major leaguer Charlie Hayes, possesses “plus speed, a plus arm and a potential 70 glove,” and if he proves to be a capable offensive player in the majors, the package could make him a star.
So far, Hayes has not necessarily thrived against minor league pitching. He owns a .752 OPS in the minors, and in his most recent showing at the lower levels in 2019, he batted .265/.336/.415 (92 wRC+) with 10 home runs and 12 stolen bases across 480 Triple-A plate appearances. Still, his promotion makes for a rare bit of excitement in a Pittsburgh season that has largely been devoid of it.
The Pirates are a major league-worst 10-21 and have received below-average production from the third base tandem of Erik Gonzalez and JT Riddle, two players who probably won’t be part of the solution over the long haul. Hayes, on the other hand, has a chance to emerge as a franchise cornerstone for years to come. Because the Pirates are waiting until Sept. 1 to call him up, he’ll miss out on Super Two status and won’t be on track to reach free agency until after 2026.
About time
Runs like Mays and hits like Hays?
And I keep hearing fields like Brooks!
Brooks Robinson or Foster Brooks?
Hubie Brooks
Brook Shields
Bobby Brooks
Also, his contract specifically states that he doesn’t have to do any calisthenics that he feels are unnecessary and he wants to sacrifice a live chicken.
i got that reference..
Oke
Well at least there’s one thing to be happy about today. Hayes definitley has the speed and fielding. I really think he could give Areando a run for his money for the Gold Glove. Many worry about his hitting, but he had a 92 MPH exit velo last year at AAA, and an inflated groundball rate. He was getting the ball in the air more during Spring Training, so hopefully, that translates to more hits. I do have faith he can develop into a pretty solid batter. I predict something like a 2016-2018 Jean Segura with a .308/.353/.449 line, maybe a bit of a higher OBP around .360-.365, averages about a dozen long balls a year, and consistnetly drives the gap for high double totals, mixed in with a few stolen bases.
I think the Pirates should be ecstatic if they get .260-.270/.340 with 10-20 HR per year from him. Along with GG defense of course.
J-That is probably what they will get but it is relatively weak for a third baseman.
No reason Cruz isn’t next. Put Cruz in RF everyday Hayes 3rd Tucker CF. Really surprised Kela wasn’t moved for a performance based PTBNL and Frazier didn’t bring back a AA Catcher
Did you really think anyone was going to take Kela while on the DL?
With has many teams who needed a lefty reliever I was sure someone would. What’s the downside if he is hurt you give no players to the pirates if he is healthy and performance is what you expect pirates get a list of players to chose from in the winter
Pretty hard for Kela to throw lefty. Last time he appeared, he was a righty
Your doubts just motivate him
The pessimistic Pirates fan in me is saying this is just a way to distract the fanbase from the fact that they did nothing at the deadline despite being clear sellers in a seller’s market, and that they have no intention of playing him regularly in favor of Erik González and JT Riddle.
Jkuch-Do you really think that they brought Hayes up for him to watch JT Riddle play third base?
Why is Derek Holland still here?
I get not wanting to sell low on guys with control. I get that even for a conditional PTBNL, Kela’s injury might scare teams off. Etc.
But, why is Holland still here?
I’m just spitballin’ here, but could it be because no one wanted to give us anything to add a pitcher with an era north of 7.50?
Career high in strikeouts per inning. Just bad PR.
I asked that question when he was with the Cubs. Of course he is pitching against the Cubs Wednesday and you never know if it’s the Cubs team that will score 10 runs on 15 hits or 1 run on 2 hits. There is a 50/50 chance we make Holland look like Greg Maddux
Like it. Like to bring up young pitchers to get their feet wet. Marlins do it all the time and always seem to find guys that are well thought off. Another note Gonzalez deserves to play ! I keep him at ss Newman 2nd more, Hayes 3rd . Let Frazier float all over. Infield and of. That means cutting Riddle !? Keep Cole in cf.
So are we seeing that Tucker isn’t in future plans at SS? I don’t mind, just interested in some opinions. SS seems to be loaded with Newman, Tucker, Gonzalez, Kramer, Cruz, Bae, Gonzales, Peguero,
It doesnt seem to me that Tucker’s bat plays real well so maybe a super sub role suits him best. If he can play ss, 2B, RF, LF, CF he may have some value replacing Frazier in that role with Newman at 2B in the short term.
I do not see what Pirate fans see in Erik Gonzalez… wanna hold on to him for a year or two as a utility infielder, fine. But talking about a 28 year old with an OPS+ of 79 as if he’s a part of future plans makes no sense to me.
DEFENSE !? Plus he hits the ball hard. That line shot last night put a dent in the wall . I believe he is a late bloomer. Got hurt early last year but hit really good late in the season . I’m not sure anybody on the team has a better glove. What don’t you understand ?
Plus, he was blocked in Cleveland by Lindor and Ramirez in Cleveland so he was not playing a lot unless in the minors.
Should trade him to Colorado, they like Nolan Areando enough to give him 200 300 million. Hayes has same glove and stat line.
What does that tell you about the Nutting Collection that the only player to be moved was Dyson for $230,000. And next year will just be 102 more games like this year has been.
Tells me that the new FO is smart enough not to panic and sell low. Or did you prefer the Gerrit Cole type trades where they just settled for anything they could get?
its something at least
DEFENSE !? Plus he hits the ball hard. That line shot last night put a dent in the wall . I believe he is a late bloomer. Got hurt early last year but hit really good late in the season . I’m not sure anybody on the team has a better glove. What don’t you understand ?
I don’t understand why you felt the need to post this twice
Bad weather! Didn’t realize . Fact is a fact.
And he is killing the Cubs
Good for Alford. Hope he plays well with PIT.
Pirates future just got a little brighter. Give it a couple years for those electric arms to arrive and the Pirates will have another window of contention.
I predict Hayes will be a 5 WAR player for those contending Pirates in a couple, three years.